Railroad-gate.



% Patented Mar. 4, i902.

W. W. & J. W. ALLEN.

RAILROAD GATE. (Apph atonfiled m s 1901) a sheets-sheet (No Model.)

M144 Allele /ldieiz/ 1x 1 t u use:

atboznug 15 "m: wcnms PETERS our mo'raumm \VAS -Nu. 694,815. Patented Mar. 4-, I902."

w. w. &.'.1. w. ALLEN.

B'AILBUA'D GKTE.

\ (Application flled MayQQ 1901.; 7

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented Mir. 4, 902.

No. 694,8l5.

w. w.-& .1. w. ALLEN.

RAILROAD GATE.

(Application filed May 9. 1901.1

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.,

(I10 Model.)

al'tomwlg a ma cams PETERS ca, wuu'murnou WkSMlNGl'ON lay a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

WILLIAM W. ALLEN AND JAMnsw; ALLEN, or CORNELL, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-GATE.

srncrnicacrroiv forming part of Letters ate No. 694,81 5, dated March 4, 1902. Applioation'filed May 9; 19b1 serial No. 69,469. (No model.)

skilled inthe art to which itappertains to make and use the same. V

This invention relates to automaticcross ing-gates, the object in view being to provide one or more gates at a grade-crossing adjacent to a railway having combined'therewithi operating mechanism adapted to be located at any desireddistance trom thegaie or gates and arranged to be actuated by a train moving in either direction, so as to automatically close or open the gate or gates. i

The automatic crossing-gate contemplated in this invention may be used'atpoints where vehicle-roadways cross railways or may be used at the crossings of intersecting railways,

so that a train moving on either road and in either direction will automatically close the tion, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth, illustrated, and claimed. a

In the accompanyingf drawings, Figure :l is g a perspective view showing acrossing with a pair of gatesinount'ed adjacent thereto and showing the mechanism for automatically opening andclo'sing the gates; Fig. 2 is an enlarged 'sideelevationshowin g the frame of the gateway, one of thegates, and a portion of the operating mechanism; rFig. 3 is a vertical section'taken in'line with the vertical oppositely-located vertical shafts.

' tween them.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one of the travelerguideways, showing the traveler mounted therein. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the traveler. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sec tion through the traveler and guideway, showing the latches for locking the traveler-arm and the meansfor tripping said latches at opposite ends of thethrow of the traveler. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the travelerarm. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through the traveler-arm, showing thesliding memher and actuating-springs therefor. Fig. 11' is a detail perspective view of thesliding member of the traveler-arm; Fig. 12 is a ver- "tical sectional view of a single gate provided with counterbalance-weights and especially designed for use'where a single gate only is employed. Fig. 13 is a plan 'view showing the manner of equipping intersecting railways with automatic gates constructed in accordance with this invention.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all iigures of the drawin s.

' order to illustrate the application of the automatic crossing-gate tea-railway, we have shown a portion of a railway-bed,.(indicated at 1,) and an intersecting vehiclefroadway 2, crossing the railway at grade. In order to [provide for mounting and properly guiding :.the gates, we employ a pair of upright frames,

one of such frames being mounted at each side of the railway, as clearly shown in Fig.-

1, and each frame consisting of a pair of posts or uprights 3, arranged at a suitable distance apart to'enable one or more teams to pass he- The posts or uprights 3 are firmly connected at their lower ends to cross bars or ties a, which extend beneath the rails of the railway and are in turn connected by tie-bars or stringers 5, extending longituditop 'by horizontal overhead frame-bars 7,

which form bearings for the upper ends ofa pair of vertical shafts 8,. arranged adjacent to the posts 3 and having their lower ends mounted in bearings in the platform 6 and stringers 5, while said shafts are also provided with bearings intermediate their ends formed in brackets 9, connected to the posts 3. In order to prevent vehicles from striking against the vertical shafts 8, guards 10 extend upward from the platform 6, said guards being preferably semicylindrical in shape,.so as partially to embracethe shafts at their inner adjacent sides.

Each of the vertical shafts 8 is, provided at its lower end with a small drum 11, which will hereinafter be termed the lower drum. The drums 11 are located beneath the platform 6 and have wound thereon a pair of traveler-cables 12, which are connected at their ends to a pair of travelers, hereinafter described, and which are mounted between the rails of the railway, so as to be operated by a train moving in either direction. Located about centrally between the rails and also between the lower drums of oppositelylocated vertical shafts are what may be termed main drums 13, around which the travelercables also pass in passing to and from and around the lower drums on the gate-operating shafts. In order that the operation of the gate-operating shafts 8 may be understood, before proceeding farther the reeving of the traveler-cables will now be traced. Beginning with one of the travelers 14, one of the travelercables 12, which is connected thereto, extends therefrom beneath the platform 6 past the first or adjacent main drum 13 to the farther main drum, around which it is wrapped one or more times. The cable then extends laterally and passes one or more times around the lower drum of one of the vertical shafts, thence across the main drum to the opposite side, where it passes one or more times around the lower drumof the oppositely-located vertical shaft, thence back to the main drum, around which it is wrapped one or more times. The cable thence extends outward toward the other traveler 14 and to the farther end of the guideway in' which the traveler moves, where the cable passes around a guide-pulley 15, journaled in a bracket connected with the guideway, and thence to the outer end of the traveler or that end which is farthest from v the crossing. Anothertraveler -'cable conthe first traveler.

nects withthe opposite or inner end of the traveler just referred to, passes beneath the platform 6 to the farther main drum, is then wrapped around said drum and reeved around the lower drums of the vertical shafts in the same manner as previously described in connection with the first cable, afterward passing outward from beneath the platform around a similar guide-pulley 15 at thefarther end'cf the traVeler-guideway, and being finally secured to the outer or farther end of It will be understood that as one traveler is moved lengthwise of its guideway by a moving train the other traveler is drawn in the opposite direction by means of the traveler-cables, and at the same time all of the vertical gate-operating shafts are simultaneously and equally revolved in the same direct-ion.

The posts or uprights 3 are provided with vertical guides 16, behind which are slidingly received the end portions of a pair of gates 17 in the form of bars adapted to slide up and down between the guides and posts, the said gate-bars being provided with pins 18, extending through them and forming stops to prevent displacement of the gate from the guides. Connected with each of the gatebars is a pair of gate-operating cables or bands 19, which extend upward from the gate-bars over guides 20 and thence around upper drums 21 on the gate-operating shafts 8, the last 7 named drums being arranged, prefer ably, beneath the connecting top bars 7. The opposite portions of the gate-operating cables extend downward from the gate, passing through openings in the platform and over guides 22, after which they are wrapped around and connected with the lower drums 11. In view of this arrangement it will now be seen that as the shafts are rotated in one direction the upper portions of the operatingcables will be wound upon the upper drums simultaneously with their unwinding from the lower drums, thereby elevating the gate-bar. When the direction of rotation of the shafts is reversed, the gate-operating cables are unwound from theupper drums and wound upon the lower drums, thereby moving the gatebars downward. It will thus be understood that the operation of raising and lowering the gates is entirely automatic and controlled by the travelers 14 as they are slid in their guideways by a train moving in either direction.

The travelers 14 may be located at any desired distance from the crossing, and each of said travelers comprises a frame consisting, preferably, of parallel spaced plates 23, suitably bolted or otherwise fastened together. The said traveler-frame isalso preferably provided. at both ends with oppositely-located wheels or rollers 24, which roll upon a baseplate or bed-piece 25, extending lengthwise of the road-bed between therails and fastened for convenience to the ties. Upon the base plate 25 is mounted a guideway consisting of parallel strips or rails 26, having overhanging and inwardly-projecting flanges 27, beneath which the rollers 24 of the traveler are confined,thus preventingthe traveler from escaping from the guideway.

Mounted centrally of the traveler is a traveler-arm 28,the'same being intermediately fulcrumed between a pair ofe'ars 29 on the frameplates of the traveler. The upper portion of the traveler-arm extends a sufficient distance above the surface of the road-bed to be struck by the pilotboard or cow-catcher of the engine for causing the traveler to move in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which the train is moving. The lower end of the arm extends between the frame- ICC . nately engaged with and disengaged from cor-1 responding notches 31in the inner adjacent ends of apair of latches 32, the same being fulcrum'ed between their ends upon pins cone neciting the sid'e plates of the traveler, while the outward and- -oppositely-projecting arms of the latches are roundedon their under sides, as shown. at33, and adapted to comein contactwith trips or earns 34, arranged at or near the opposite ends of the guideway. The

trips or cams 34 operate to vibrate the latches" one at atime, and thereby, unlock and release the lowerend of. the traveler-arm, so that the npperend thereof may, swing in the direction in which the trainis moving, so as to fold downward and allow. the train topassover it.v The traveler-arm is, however, held locked in itsve'rtical positionuntil the traveler reaches the end of. the guideway, at which timethe gates are either wholly opened or closed, as the case maybe. .Assoon as the.traveler-amp is tripped. thefltravelerstops, the train no longer having any. efiect;thereon. v As soon as the traveler-arm is .released by the train after it has passed the said arm is returned to its vertical operative position by means of adouble-actingspring 35, comprising op? positelyi-located coils 36, whichare wound in thesame direction around theo'pfpositely-projecting portions 37jofi the pin or rod 43, which forms the fulcrum for the traveler-arm, the extre'mitiesofvsaid pin or rodbei ng bent at an an'-' gleto receive the looped extremities 39 of the spring, which partially encircle said extremities from opposite sides. The coils are united 5 by a central connecting portion 40, which is connected with the traveler-arm, preferably by passing the same through an opening 41' insaid arm, as shown. The construction of springidescribed enables the traveler-arm to be vibrated inieither direction when released by the latches and serves by its ;tension to.

return. said arnilto. its'nor'mal, vertical, and operative position. When the arm is thrown downwardin onei'direction, it acts .to wind 11 p one of thecoilsof .thespring, while when it Iis'vibratedlin the .oppositedirectidn itacts" to wind upthe other coiL. it will also be seen that bytthe arrangementdescribed the travelere-ar'muin.winding-npone. of the coils will E not unlwiud theflother coil, as on account of the fact that .theouter. end of the coil is not held fast when turning in one direction the coil as a whole will turn bodily and alto gethe riupon, the fulcrum .pin or rod." In'this waylno reverse'tension.isputupon either of toth row the gate-operating mechanism out of gear, so .thatQitWill not be operated by 7 moving trains, andjn ,order to accomplish-v this'we provide one orboth of the latches of each traveler withhandles i2, connectedpiv ,otally at their. lower-ends to the latches and be'desirablef provided at their upper ends with laterallyprojecting lips or extensions 48f0r enabling ,the handles to be operated, the said extensionsalso preventing the handles from falling and becoming wedged between'the latches The operator by I and frame of the traveler;

lifting. the handles elevates the outer ends)" of the latches, and by then throwing the ha'n-.

dlesfove'r the connecting bolts'orpins of the traveler-frame the latches will beheld elevated and inoperative, so that the traveler- 4 arm being unlocked may be drawn downward fin either direction by'the train without "imparting any movement to the travelers u and gates.

In order to prevent injury to the traveler-f body by means of one or more springs 46, ar-

ranged in the channeled side portions of the hollow body, the said springs being properly .seated at oneend, while their opposite ends ,are brought to bear againstf-laterally projectr ing p'insor shoulders 4-7 on the sliding membereid, as clearly shown in'thedrawings. The

sliding member is made offs'uffioint'breadth V to insureth'e proper. engagement between it and the point'of the pilot-board or cow catcher, thereby preventing'the pilot-board from hearing against one side of the traveler arm and bendingjthesaine over laterally, which would probably render the gateio'perating'mechanis'm inoperative. By arranging the sliding member so asto telescope within 7 the main body of the traveler-arm should the" traveler-arm be inclined toward an'a'pproaching train the slidingmember will bepressed-f i down ward into the main body'of the travelerarm'without causing in jury theretmanfd the same operation will beprodu'cedby-projections pendent from the bottomsof cars drawn by the train, preventing injury to such parts of the cars and also to the traveler-arm. The

'outwardly projccting portion of the sliding V I15 member45 is preferably recessed or' cut away, as shown at 48, to provide yielding wings 4s),-

between which isinterposed acushioning spring 50, Which yieldingly supports the wings of thesliding member-and better adapts said member to take the concussion producedby the sudden, blow imparted thereto by ajrap i idly-1novingtrain. The constructionjustde 5 lscribedal s'o prevents the liability of fractiirf s 1- ng the tnm inlyr tion of, the sliding membe when, a sudden blowiis struck thereon; -i .v

Fromlthe foregoing description it will be seenjth'at the gates are entirely aut'omaticin' operation and thattheya're opened and closed .byl atrain moving ineithe'r direoiiomobivi atin'g the necessity of employing'a gateman' ateach crossing. Where a series of crossings 1 occur at short intervals, theseveral gatesmay be coupled to the same pair of travelers, so

&

that they will all be simultaneously opened and closed. Where gates are erected at a surface crossing of intersecting railways, the construction hereinabove described may be duplicated, so that each of the railways will be equipped with a pair of gates, whereby a train moving on one track will close and open the gates of the intersecting track.

If desired, the travelers and guideways therefor may be provided with contact plates or buttons arranged in an electrical circuit with alarm mechanism and an electric-lighting system, so that the approach of a train may be signalized at the crossing by electric lights and the ringing of an audible alarm, such as a gong or a bell. Such electrical connections may be of'the usual typeand may be readily applied by any one skilled in theart.

In erectingagate for farm purposes itis only necessary to employ a single gate, and therefore one pair of vertical gate-operating shafts may be dispensed with. In connection with farm-gates itis desirable to employ counterbalance-weights for the gateon account of the size and weight of the gate which must necessarily be employed in order to fence off stock. \Ve therefore extend vertical guides 51 at one side of the posts or uprights 3, which guides are preferably in the form of rods. Upon such guides are arranged sliding weights 52, having connected thereto cables 53, which extend upward over suitable guides 54 and thence downward, where they connect with the gate. The weights serve to counterbalance the gate, and thus relieve the mechanism for operating it. The arms of the travelers may be arranged to be struck either by the wheels of the vehicle approaching the gate or departing therefrom or by a portion of the runninggear ofthe vehicle, as may be preferred.

It will thus be seen that the invention is susceptible of considerable change in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction, and we therefore reserve the right to make such changes asproperly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a gate, of means for opening and closing the same comprising a slidingtraveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, a guideway for the traveler, a folding arm carried by the traveler, a latch for locking said armin its operativeposition, and atrip located in the guideway and adapted to operate upon the latch for throwing the latter out of engagement with the folding arm.

2. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a gate, of means for opening and latches and releasing the traveler-arm, and a spring for returning the traveler-arm to its operative position.

3. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the same comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, a guideway in which the traveler moves, a folding arm carried by the traveler, means for automatically locking and tripping said arm, and a sustain ing-spring for said arm comprising a pair of coils, one of which acts to move the arm in one direction, the other coil acting'to move the arm inthe opposite direction.

4. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the same comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, and a traveler arm having telescopic members.

5. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the same comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, and a travelerarm having telescopic members one of which is pivotally connected with the traveler.

6. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closingthe same comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections be tween the traveler and gate, and apivoted and folding traveler-arm connected with the car riage and embodying a hollow body, a telescopic memberslidingly mounted therein-,and

.means for normally pressing the telescopic member outward.

7. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the'gate, comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, and a traveler- 8. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the gate comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, and a travelerarm' embodying a sliding telescopic'member provided with-wings spaced'apartand having a cushioning-spring interposed between the wings.

9. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a movable gate, of means for opening and closing the gatev comprising a sliding traveler, operative connections between the traveler and gate, a folding traveler-arm connected with the traveler and having a projection or shoulder, a latch pivotally mounted in the traveler-frame and havtion on the traveler-arm, and a trip arranged inthe path of the traveler and adapted to operate upon the latch for releasing the traveler-arm andallowing the same to fold,

10. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a vertically-movable gate, of parallel shafts each provided with a pair of drums, gate-operating cables connected with the gate and wound upon said drums, and means actuated by a niovingobject for imparting simultaneous rotation to said shafts.

11. In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a vertically-movable gate, of parallel shafts each provided with' a pair of drums, separate gate -operating cables for each shaft, each cable being connected with the gate and having its oppositeends wound upon the drums of its respective shaft, and means operated by a moving object for simultaneously rotatingsaid shafts.

12. In an automatic crossing gate, thecombination with a vertically-movable gate, of parallel verticfalshafts arranged at opposite sides of the gatewayand provided with drums,

gate-operatin g cables connected with the gate,

' and wound upon said drums, and means op erated byainoving object fori nparting si mnltaneous rotation to said shafts.

13. In an automatic crossing-gate, the com; hination with a vertically-movablegate,of parallel vertical shafts at opposite sides of the gateway, gate operating cables connected with said shafts and gate,"sli'ding travelers arrangedat opposite sides ofthe roadway protected by the gate, and operative connections between said travelers and shafts for imparting rotary movement simultaneously to said shafts.

14, In an automatic crossing-gate, the combination with a pair of gates, of sets of parallel shafts arranged contiguous v thereto, drums actuated by saidshafts and carrying gate-operating cables which act to raise and lower the gates,.and meansfor simultaneouslyrotating all of the shafts comprising sliding travelers arranged at opposite sides of the crossing, and cables connected with the travelers and passing around drums on the gate-operating shafts, substantially as der be a 15. In an automatic crossing-gate the com: bi'nationiwith a pair of vertically-movable gates, of sets of vertical gate-operating shafts having drums, gate-operating cableswound upon said drums, and meansfor simultaneously rotating the shafts consisting of sliding travelers arranged at opposite sides of the crossing, a pair of main drnnisinterposed be tweenfdrumson the lower ends of the gateoperating shafts, and cables connected with the travelers and passing around the'main drums and also around the, drums on-the lower ends of the gate-operating shafts, substantially asand for the purpose specified,

In testimonywhercof weafiix our signat-Hl$ in presence of two witnesses. I

- A WILLIAM W. ALLEN, [L. S.;]

JAMES W. ALLEN.. [n s. Witnesses:

' U. S. WAYMAN, k S. AHDUNBARF; Q 

